Requests
by Rosimae
Summary: So, as the title implies, this is a compilation of requests I have received from you, my lovely readers :) All characters here, all genres. Requests welcome. Enjoy!
1. Old Man Winter

**A/N: **Hi all! So, I hinted at a new story for Rise of the Guardians, and I may have been slightly misleading. Yes, this is a new story, and yes, it is for Rise of the Guardians, but it's not one long story, nor does the story carry from chapter to chapter. In writing my stories I have had a couple of story requests by my lovely and wonderful readers. So, I decided to write them out :) I hope I can do them justice because I feel extremely honored that you all would trust me with requests of stories you would like to see me write.

So, here's how it's going to work. You can PM me or review this story with an idea and I'll write out my interpretation of it. I can't promise your idea will go up right away, but I'll try to get to everyone's. I'll do any genre, any scenario, any character, and some pairings (I will not do boy/boy or girl/girl pairings. I'm sorry about that. I don't mean to offend anyone, that is just how I am. I ask that you please respect that, thank you.) I will also not do explicit content - this fic will remain rated T at MOST, so anything that could be considered M is out.

So, send me your requests and I'll see what I can do :) I hope you're happy with this idea! And I hope you like this.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Rise of the Guardians.

Okay, so this request comes from **samuraistar** who asked for a story where Old Man Winter takes Jack under his wing. Hope I did your idea justice, samuraistar!

I would consider this story hurt/comfort with maybe a little angst and some family/fluff added in. Tissues may be warranted.

Characters: Jack Frost, Wind, Old Man Winter

~RiseOfTheGuardians~

Old Man Winter had been around since the beginning of time and had brought the snows around the world on his own for just as long. It was exhausting without help and no matter how much he asked, he received none. To be the Spirit of Winter was to be alone in your duties. So it was of great surprise to Winter when he learned Man in Moon had created another winter spirit.

A great surprise, but it was also a great relief, because Winter was very old and very tired, and the only reason he was still around was the mere fact that there simply was no one else to do his job, and it must be done.

So Winter set out to find this new spirit named Jack Frost.

He didn't mean to startle the spirit when he found him. He had merely approached the brown clad, white haired figure and cleared his throat. But apparently that was enough to startle the man.

_No, not man,_ Old Man Winter thought as the figure turned towards him. _Boy._

And Old Man Winter was instantly furious. Not at the boy, but at MiM. How could he have placed such a great burden on one so young? How could he have given so much power to one who didn't even know how to control it, didn't even know what he possessed? It didn't make any sense.

"You, you can see me," the boy, Jack Frost, said, voice hoarse and eyes wide in surprise.

"I can," Winter replied.

"But, but how?" Jack Frost stammered. "No one has, I mean, I thought that…"

"How long have you been alone?" Winter asked, keeping his face blank. His heart hurt for this young boy who had been dumped in this harsh world and given such great responsibility, but something told him the boy would not take kindly to seeing such compassion. At least, not yet.

"Um," Jack Frost thought back. "Maybe five months? Or six?"

And once more Winter had to push aside the anger that built up. He had only learned of the boy's existence the day before. For no one to approach him for five or six months, well, Winter was not happy about that.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be here for you," Winter said.

"No offense, but who _are_ you?" Jack Frost asked.

"I am known as Old Man Winter," Winter said.

"Got the old right," Jack Frost said, eying the other winter spirit closely. Winter sighed. It was true. He was old, and he was showing his years. With his long, white hair, blue eyes set into a wrinkled old face, and boney old hands, there was no doubting he deserved his full title. Looking at Jack Frost, Winter felt he could be the boy's great, great, great, great, great grandfather.

Winter pushed the comment aside. "You may call me Winter," he continued.

"Jack Frost, or just Jack," Jack said, extending his hand. "So, you do snow too?"

"I do," Winter said, accepting the hand.

"How do you know where to go?" Jack asked, eyes bright, eager.

Winter decided he liked the boy. He was young, it was true, but he held a true curiosity and longing to learn, which was more than could be said about a lot of spirits, especially the seasonal ones.

"That is what I am here to teach you," Winter said. He understood now why MiM had created a new winter spirit, and it wasn't to give Winter less work. "If you will accept the knowledge."

Jack looked around at the lake he was standing on, as if debating something. "Can Wind come too?"

"Wind?" Winter was surprised. Most spirits had no knowledge of those beings with no physical form, such as Wind; her brothers North, South, East, and West; the fire beings; those of the earth; and those that ruled the sea. Most spirits just thought the elements were there to be controlled. Winter, of course, knew better. He had been born about the same time as the others, had held strong friendships with them all, even if they were a little distant and uncaring of the world.

_Hello Winter,_ Wind spoke, swirling through the air.

_Wind,_ Winter replied with a nod of his head.

"Yeah, she's my friend," Jack said, oblivious to the silent greetings. "And she's real." He said the last part as if Winter would not believe him.

"I know Wind," Winter assured the boy. "And of course she can come."

Jack looked rather relieved and Winter could hear a soft chuckle come from Wind.

_Like I'd leave you, you silly boy,_ she whispered. Jack tilted his head as she spoke, but didn't seem to quite understand her.

_He will in time,_ Winter thought, surprised at how attached Wind seemed to the boy. He wondered how long they had been together and decided he would ask Wind later.

"So, Jack," Winter said, turning his back on the frozen lake. "Let me tell you a few things about winter."

Jack slid into place next to Winter as they trekked into the forest, Wind following close around them.

~RotG~

For five years Old Man Winter travelled with Jack Frost and Wind and taught them everything he knew about bringing winter and what it meant to be a spirit of winter. He taught Jack that heat made them sick, the changing of the seasons, and how to tell when a place was due for the cold. For five years Old Man Winter spent time with Jack Frost, got to know him, and grew to love him. Grew to love his fun loving personality, laughed at the pranks the boy played, and offered comfort when children ran through him and caused him emotional pain.

But Old Man Winter knew his time was coming to an end. He had lived a long time and he was tired, so tired.

He watched Jack chase a rabbit through the snow with a smile on his face, settled against the tree.

_He won't understand, you know,_ Wind said softly, her breezes settling around Winter.

_I know,_ Winter sighed. He wished there was something more he could do for the boy, wished he could stay with him, mentor him a bit longer. But the curse of the winter spirits was loneliness. To be a winter spirit was to be alone.

_No,_ Wind said fiercely. _He will never be alone._

Winter smiled at that. It truly amazed him how much Wind cared for the boy. The relationship was a strange one, one he'd never heard of before in all the time he'd walked the earth. But he was grateful for it. It seemed, from the first time Wind saw Jack, had pulled him into her arms, she had found family. Which, Winter knew, was what she always wanted, and her brothers certainly didn't care about things like that.

Jack laughed as he raced back towards them, skating on the ice of the lake in circles before coming to a stop. Beautiful frost patterns adorned the ice where his feet touched, and Jack's eyes sparkled with life.

Winter wondered why none of the other spirits even cared to come meet Jack Frost. In his five years with the boy he had not run into any of the others, which was strange, for he was normally on good terms with everyone. They weren't friends, per se, they didn't spend time together, but he would run abreast of others and they would speak to each other about current events. So it was strange that none had come to meet the newest spirit, even if winter spirits were generally left alone.

And it worried Winter, because he knew he was not long for the world and he worried that Jack would be as alone as the first day they met.

"Have I told you about the other spirits?" Winter asked. His voice was worn and cracking, but Jack's eyes lit with new curiosity, settling at Winter's feet like he had every time Winter had something new to teach him.

"There are others?" Jack asked.

"Yes, Jack," Winter said. "There are many others. Let me tell you about them, for at some point, I believe you will meet them."

Winter smiled as Jack watched him like a little kid, waiting for a bedtime story. He could hold off a little longer, if it gave him the chance to teach the boy more.

~RotG~

Winter knew his time had come at last, standing atop the tallest mountain as snow light fell around him.

Seven years had passed since he met Jack. Seven years of imparting all he had to offer the boy. But now he had no more to teach. He had nothing left to offer the young spirit who had slowly become like a son to him. It was time.

"Winter, Winter, look," Jack said, rushing over to the old man. "I did it. It took practice, like you said, but I did it."

Jack held up a small figure in his hands: a sparrow made entirely of frost. The sparrow flittered away to fly around their heads before bursting into a fresh dusting of snow.

"Very well done," Winter said, smiling at his boy.

Jack grinned over at him, face flushing at the praise. But the pleased look slowly melted from his face as he took Winter's appearance in.

"Are you okay?" Jack asked, suddenly feeling very frightened.

"Did you know that I was born atop this very mountain?" Winter asked, looking out at the world beyond. His voice was quiet, eyes distant.

"No," Jack said, looking around and taking in his surroundings a little better. "It's different from where I came from," he said.

Winter smiled. "Yes, it is."

"Winter, what's going on?" Jack asked. "What aren't you telling me?"

_Oh Jack,_ Wind whispered, wrapping cool breezes around the boy.

Winter sighed. He knew this day would come, and yet he did not know how to tell Jack. Did not know how to tell the boy that he had to go. Seven years ago he had gone in search of the spirit who would take his place. He hadn't expected to grow so fond of that spirit, hadn't expected to grow attached enough he didn't want to leave.

But leave he must.

"Jack, do you remember when I first met you?" Winter asked.

"Yes," Jack replied slowly.

"Of course you do," Winter said, smiling. "You're a smart boy. Well, I went in search of you when I learned who you were."

"You wanted a partner, right? Someone to make the snows with you."

"No, Jack," Winter said. He met the boy's eyes, blue to blue. "I wasn't searching for a partner. I was searching for a replacement."

"What do you mean?" Jack asked. He didn't like where this conversation was going. He didn't like it one bit.

"I'm old, Jack," Winter said, sighing. "So old and tired. I've been alive for longer than most."

"Don't say that," Jack said, stumbling away slightly, eyes wide and pleading. "You can be around a bit longer. You have to."

Winter shook his head. "I've taught you everything you need to know."

"No."

"Yes, Jack," Winter held the boy's eyes. "Everyone has his time and place. This, here, now, where I was born. This is mine."

"No," Jack cried. Tears gathered in his eyes, freezing as they fell. "Please."

Winter heaved himself to his feet with a groan and shuffled his way to Jack. Jack held his steady, pleading gaze on Winter, wanting to run away, to believe none of this was happening, but he couldn't.

Winter pulled Jack into a hug.

"I'm so proud of you, my boy," he whispered.

Jack curled his hands into Winter's cloak, buried his face into the old man's chest, and sobbed.

"Never forget who you are," Winter said quietly. "And never forget how to have fun. You will need it, when the time comes."

Jack tightened his grip on the cloak. "Don't go."

"Be brave, my son," Winter said. _Take care of him, Wind._

_I will._

With a nod, Old Man Winter passed away, holding the boy he loved like a son, a peaceful smile on his face. His power dissolved into the air, breaking apart into millions of bright blue lights that fell with the snow.

Jack fell to the snow, tears still rolling down his cheeks, and Wind wrapped him in her embrace. He cried himself to sleep that night, safe on the top of the tallest mountain in the world, as a storm raged around him.

That night, spirits around the world looked up, sensing the passing of one of their own, sensing the growth of another.

"Jack Frost," North whispered from far away, staring into his fire. Tooth, Sandy, and Bunny stood beside him, watching the flames dance. "Now the true Spirit of Winter."


	2. Cuts

**A/N: **I'm sorry for the long wait on updating - on top of the fact that I seriously struggled with this idea and writing it out while trying to keep in character as much as possible, my internet went out and I only just got it back up and running.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Rise of the Guardians

This one is for **AllieSnow** who wanted some serious angst involving Jack's birthday, a suicide type note, and lots of blood. I'm not too good writing angsty suicide type fics, so I hope I did this one justice - probably not, though. I tried to keep in character for this one, but Jack really doesn't strike me as anywhere near suicidal, so the whole idea is out of character for me, but I did my best. Sorry it sucks!

**Caution:**Rated T, contains suicidal actions and blood. If this offends you or affects you negatively, please do not read this chapter, thank you.

Characters: Jack, Sandy, North, Tooth, Bunny, cameo appearance of Phil

~~RiseoftheGuardians~~

Jack woke up excited. It was Winter Solstice after all, the day he woke up from the ice. The day he considered his birthday. And for the first time in 300 years, he had a family and friends to spend it with. He hurried out of his room at the top of Santoff Claussen and made his way to North's workshop, cheerfully greeting the various yetis and elves along the way.

Coming to the entrance of North's workshop he slowly opened one of the doors and peered inside. North was at his workbench, humming along to his music as he worked on crafting something.

"North," Jack said, flinging the door open and causing the Russian to jump and knock several things to the floor.

"Jack," North said, turning towards the youngest guardian. "What is it you want? I am very busy."

"I just," Jack began. This was not the greeting he had been expecting on his birthday, and the look North was giving him was annoyed bordering on angry. "I guess I just wanted to say hi."

"Hi, Jack," North grunted, turning back to his worktable.

"What are you working on?" Jack asked, curious despite the obvious dismissal.

"Is nothing of importance to you," North snapped, blocking the winter spirit's view. "Don't you have something you should be doing?"

"Well, I," Jack stumbled. Sure, he had snow to bring to several countries, but that was easy. Plus, he wanted to spend some time with his family on his birthday.

"Get going," North said, not waiting for Jack to say more.

"Right," Jack said, hoping on the ledge of the windowsill. "Sorry I bothered you."

Jack heard North's relieved sigh as the wind pulled him away from Santoff Claussen. He blinked back tears as he flew, trying not to think about the fact that North hadn't seemed all that keen in having him around. How North hadn't even remembered it was his birthday. Wasn't Santa supposed to know these things?

"Never mind," Jack mumbled to himself, changing his direction towards Bunny's place. "If North doesn't want to talk, I'll just go see the kangaroo instead."

"I don't have any time for your antics right now, Frostbite," Bunny said as he made his way through his glen on inspection. "Beat it."

Jack closed his mouth, not even getting a word out as Bunny hurried off. His friend hadn't even glanced at him before he was dismissing him. Jack's shoulders slumped as he turned away. This was not what he expected his birthday to be like. But at least there was Tooth and Sandy, right?

Wrong.

Jack couldn't find the Sandman and that only happened when Sandy didn't want to be disturbed.

Dejected, Jack flew off to Tooth Palace. Tooth always knew how to make him feel better, and she was such a mother hen there was no way she would forget his birthday.

"Lateral incisor in Madagascar, back molar in Savaii, Jack stop distracting my fairies we don't have time for this, the amount of teeth lost in the past day has increased by 22.3%, canine in Las Vegas, I mean it Jack, I don't have time right now."

Jack floated softly to the ground as he watched Tooth flit off, giving more orders to her fairies along the way. So that was it. His friends, his family, didn't have time for him on his birthday.

Jack felt like he should cry, but oddly enough, he didn't. He didn't feel much like anything, other than empty. Three hundred years of being alone washed over him. Three hundred years of empty birthdays and holidays. Three hundred years of children walking through him.

Children!

Jack took off in a flash towards Burgess. Why didn't he think of it before? Landing in the Bennett's yard, Jack looked around. That's right, he realized with a pang. Jamie and Sophie were out of town visiting relatives during their time off of school.

Jack kicked at the snow before taking off once more, idly wandering the streets of Burgess looking for any of Jamie's friends. But all was quiet and soon Jack found himself settling beneath a tree by his lake with a sigh.

Honestly, all he wanted was someone to wish him happy birthday. Was that too much to ask?

Apparently it was.

With a sigh, Jack pulled out the small notebook Jamie had given him. Jamie had told him it was a journal to 'write his thoughts in.' Jack stared at the blank page for a time. He hadn't written anything in it. Not because he didn't want to, more because he hadn't had the time. But maybe now was a good time.

Jack detached the pen and began to write, but several minutes later he sighed in frustration. What was the point of writing things down, anyway? Tears dripped onto the journal and Jack wiped at them angrily before getting up and tossing the journal aside. Without another thought he made his way down to the South Pole.

~RotG~

"Is he here?" Tooth asked as she flew into North's workshop.

"Not yet," North answered, shaking his head.

"Well, where is he?" Bunny asked. "I want to get this party started."

"Sandy went to get him," North replied, not really paying attention as he put the finishing touches on the decorations. At last, everything was perfect for Jack's first birthday as a Guardian. Truthfully, he had felt bad for sending Jack away that morning, but he hadn't wanted to ruin the surprise and Jack nearly had when he walked in on North working on his birthday present.

"Bloody Frostbite almost blew the whole thing when he came to bug me," Bunny said. "Had to send him away in a hurry."

"Same here," Tooth admitted. "I was just so shocked when he showed up and I _know_ my fairies can't keep a secret."

North frowned, wondering. Why had Jack gone to each of them?

Just then Sandy flew in, clutching a notebook and looking rather frantic.

"What is it, Sandy?" North asked.

In reply, Sandy thrust the notebook at him, open to the first page. North felt his stomach churn as he began to read.

_Today's my birthday, not that you would know. Apparently nobody knows. I don't even know why I care. Why I got my hopes up that this year would be different just because I'm a Guardian. It's no different. I'm still unwanted. After all, nobody wants a screw up and I do make a mess of things. I just thought that now would be, well, it doesn't matter. I don't matter. I doubt anyone would even notice if I was gone. I doubt anyone would even care. After all, no one has before. Why should that change now? Just because I want it to? Just because I want this loneliness to_

The journal entry ended with several scribbles. Splotches dotted the ink, smearing it almost unreadable in places. North's hands shook as he reread what was written, the book tumbling from numb fingers as he glanced at Sandy.

"Where is he?" North asked, feeling sick.

"What is it?" Bunny asked, hoping over and picking the book up.

Sandy shook his head.

Bunny and Tooth read through the passage quickly, eyes widening.

"We have to find him," Tooth declared.

~RotG~

Jack stood on the edge of a cliff; his usual solace when nowhere else seemed accepting of him. The wind buffeted around him as tears traced down his cheeks, freezing as they fell. He had thought he didn't have anything in him to cry, but he supposed he was wrong there. He was crying.

He was unsure of how long he stood there, staring at the great white expanse before him, but his tears had stopped and the sun had almost set, so he supposed it had been several hours. Maybe less. The sun did set early in this forsaken wasteland.

It didn't matter how much time had passed, though, because no one had come looking for him. Of course they hadn't, they probably hadn't even realized he was missing.

"Is that it then?" Jack spoke aloud. "The only times they want me around is when I'm useful?"

Fury filled Jack at the thought. How dare they use him like that? How dare they offer him friendship and then turn their backs on him? Didn't he prove himself worthy to them?

"What do you want from me?!" Jack shouted. "What more can I do?!"

Jack spun around in anger, releasing a blast of power behind him that formed into spikes of ice traveling down the cliff face. He whirled to face it, breathing hard. Memories of that fateful day battling Pitch entered his mind and he saw the beautiful and terrible ice sculpture the two had made together.

"Well, well, all alone again."

As if summoned by his thoughts, Pitch's voice spoke. Jack spun around, looking for the source of the voice, staff at the ready.

"I did warn you, you know," Pitch's voice continued.

"Where are you?" Jack demanded.

"Does it really matter?"

Jack shot another flurry of power to his left. Pitch's voice laughed.

"Honestly, Jack. I don't know why you thought things could get better."

"Shut up!" Jack spun around, releasing more power, but he couldn't see Pitch anywhere.

"After all, nobody wants a screw up." The voice sounded as though Pitch whispered in his ear.

"Ahh!" Jack slammed the butt of his staff into the ground, causing a massive wave of ice to ripple outwards in sharp spears, snow flurrying upwards all around. As the white cloud dissipated, Jack looked around.

All was silent, deathly so. He was surrounded by spears of sharp ice, glinting in what was left of the light. Pitch was nowhere to be seen or heard.

Jack crumpled to his knees, curling in on himself, feeling numb. Pitch's words echoed in his ears, mirrored by other spirits' scathing remarks from the past three hundred years.

_I really am just a screw up,_ Jack thought, glancing at the ice surrounding him. _But I am trying. I just, I need help. I need someone to see me. I need this pain to go away._

Without truly thinking, Jack reached out a shaking hand and gripped one of the ice spikes, breaking it off.

The tip was as sharp as a knife, glimmering in the fading light. Turning the icicle in his hand, still not registering what he was really doing, Jack drew the sharp edge across his wrist.

He expected the pain as he watched the blood well up and drip from the cut. He did not expect the strange feeling that came over him, the buzzing in his ears, or the clarity that settled into his mind. As his blood continued to drip, those feelings slowly faded.

Jack panicked and drew the icicle across his wrist once more. More blood welled up, staining the snow around him crimson as he watched, letting the strange feeling of peace wash over him.

He gripped the icicle in his other hand, made slightly difficult by the blood dripping from his wrist, and cut his other wrist, pressing deeper than his previous cuts.

He gasped at the pain and exhilaration that washed over him, pushing away all his silly little concerns that had plagued him. Wanting more of the feeling, Jack drew the icicle across his skin a fourth time, pressing deeper still as blood gushed up in a steady stream of red.

Jack dropped the icicle, watching the red continue to drip to the ground, marveling at how even his blood was cold, because it did not melt the snow. His mind grew fuzzy as he watched the growing stain of crimson. He knew he should get help. He didn't want to die, after all. He just wanted the pain to go away.

He tried to stand, dizziness washing over him, and fell to the ground beside the puddle of his blood.

_I'll just rest here for a bit,_ he thought, closing his eyes. _Then I'll, I'll –_ he never finished the thought as he drifted off.

~RotG~

Sandy was the one to stumble upon the missing member of their group, noticing the bright colors against the white and immediately sending the signal for the other Guardians. He settled down beside Jack, surrounded by a fortress of icy spikes, and was horrified by what he saw.

~RotG~

"I don't understand why he would do this."

"I don't think any of us understand."

"Do you think he was attacked? He could've been."

Silence

"No, Sandy is right, he did this to himself."

"Why?"

"Why didn't he come to us, talk to us about how he was feeling?"

"Maybe he tried to. Maybe we didn't listen."

Jack felt confused as the words floated in and out of his mind. He recognized the voices, but he couldn't put names to them. They were good voices though, he remembered that much. Except now, now they sounded worried. Now they sounded sad. Why did they sound that way?

Jack wanted to open his eyes, he wanted to ask what was going on, but the buzzing returned to his mind and he was swept back out to a sea of black.

~RotG~

"Oh, Jack, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to push you away. I just, we wanted to surprise you. I didn't think, I didn't know…"

Surprise him? Why would they want to surprise him? Who wanted to surprise him? And why were they sorry? It's not like he'd never been pushed away before.

~RotG~

"Jack, mate, you know you can talk to us about anything, right? About, about how you're feeling. We can help. We want to."

How was he feeling? And why would he talk about it? He never had before. And why would they want to help him? They'd never helped him before. But still, he did want them to help. He needed their help. He just couldn't remember why.

~RotG~

"I just finished his second transfusion, Sandy. Hopefully it will be enough."

Jack knew that voice, knew that name. They were good, friends, family. Golden dolphins danced in his vision, swirling around him, wrapping around him, and Jack allowed himself to be carried away into sleep.

~RotG~

He woke with five sets of eyes trained on him – North, Bunny, Tooth, Sandy, and Phil all sat around his bed, looking tired and worn and completely relieved to see he was awake.

"What happened?" Jack asked.

"Well, mate, we were hoping you could tell us," Bunny said, leaning back in his chair, brow furrowed in worry.

"We found you in the middle of an ice field," Tooth said. "And you were covered in blood. What happened?"

Jack looked away from her pleading eyes to raise his arms, looking at the bandages wrapped thick and tight around his wrists.

"You almost bled out," North informed him seriously.

"Care to tell us why you tried to kill yourself?" Bunny demanded.

"Bunny!" Tooth snapped.

"What? We all want to know."

"You didn't have to ask it like that."

"I'm not gonna sugar coat it," Bunny nearly shouted. "Frostbite got happy with the sharp objects and it nearly killed him. I want to know why." He hadn't meant to sound so rude and demanding, but the guilt was overwhelming. His mind continued to circle through what ifs that started with him having been more available to Jack and ended with Jack dead. The anger at himself, for pushing Jack away, for not listening to him, was driving him mad, and so he let his anger out the only way he really knew how – at those around him.

"I wasn't trying to, to kill myself," Jack said, closing him eyes so he didn't have to look at the others.

"Really, cause it bloody well looked like it," Bunny snapped.

"That's enough, Bunny," North said.

Sandy formed a question mark above his head, asking Jack what he was trying to do, if not kill himself.

Jack glanced at the little golden man, then turned back to poke at his bed sheet.

"I just, I wanted…I just wanted the pain to stop," Jack said softly.

"What pain, Jack?" Tooth asked, cutting Bunny off before he could say anything. "Where are you hurting?"

"It's not physical pain," Jack said slowly. "It's more, it's-"

"Loneliness," North finished. He felt awful as he remembered Jack excitement as he entered his workshop that morning, so full of life and fun. And what had he done? North had sent the kid away, had told him to get lost, when all he had wanted was company on his birthday. A cold hard knot formed in North's stomach as he thought about that. As he wondered just what he could have done to help Jack. Why had he been so dismissive?

Tooth herself with dealing with her own knot of guilt, lodged in her throat and refusing to work itself free. Why hadn't she noticed that Jack had needed her earlier? Was not spoiling a surprise really worth upsetting Jack? And look what had happened? Would he have done this if she had just talked with him?

Sandy floated over to Jack, feeling his heart break for the boy. He had disappeared on him when Jack needed him the most. All because he was too busy setting up a surprise. But that didn't mean he shouldn't have offered the boy a 'happy birthday' in the morning before disappearing. Why hadn't he?

Quick and fast he flashed pictures of him, Jack, and the others all standing around, Jack's figure a little ways off from the others. Slowly, he moved the others until they stood around Jack and everyone embraced him in a hug.

"You said Sandy," Bunny said.

Jack blinked, feeling tears burn in his eyes, and felt the others surround him, just as Sandy had shown, and pull him into a large, uncomfortable group hug.

"You're not alone anymore," North said.

"You'll never be alone again," Tooth added.

"Happy birthday, mate," Bunny said.

Jack clung to North's shirt as tears fell from his eyes. That aching feeling that the cutting had dispersed with so momentarily fled completely as his friends, his family, surrounded him. It wasn't okay, they all knew that. Okay would take time and patience. But for now, this was enough. In time, they would be okay.

"Now," North said, pulling away slightly. "Who's up for some cake?"


	3. Dentist

**A/N: **So, the last two requests were sad and angsty and I decided I needed to write something fun. Low and behold a request came in and this little ditty popped out. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Rise of the Guardians

For **jrarulez** who wanted Jack to go to the 'dentist'.

Rating: K - just some fun and humor

Characters: Jack, Tooth, Baby Tooth, Bunny

~RiseoftheGuardians~

"There must be some kind of mistake."

Tooth fluttered in her palace, listening to Baby Tooth explain the situation. It just didn't seem possible, not after all this time.

"This isn't good," Tooth told Baby Tooth. "This isn't good at all."

Baby Tooth nodded, looking serious.

"We have to hurry if we're to fix this. There's no time to lose."

Tooth fluttered off, Baby Tooth close behind.

~RotG~

"Jackson Overland Frost!"

Jack flinched at the shrill cry, spinning around to face the irate Tooth as he attempted to hide the evidence of his latest prank behind his back. She couldn't have figured it out already, could she have?

"Tooth!" Jack exclaimed, forcing a smile on his face. "Fancy seeing you here...in Bunny's warren…What brings you here?"

"I didn't want to believe what Baby Tooth told me, but there's no mistaking it."

"Haha," Jack laughed nervously. "Mistaking what?" He hadn't told Baby Tooth about this prank, so how could she know? And she was usually an accomplice of his when it came to pranks, so why would she rat him out now?

"This!" Tooth said, fluttering closer to Jack and gesturing to him.

"Aaa, what?" Jack asked. This was not good. If they were still here when Bunny got back from his card game with North, Jack would be in big trouble.

"You," Tooth said, her face mere inches from Jack's. "Have. A. Cavity."

"I wasn't–wait, wha-" Jack soon found himself unable to talk as Tooth inspected his mouth.

"Alright, Jack," Tooth said, pulling away. "My place, right now. We need to get this taken care of. I can't believe, in 300 years you have never had a cavity. Your teeth are perfect! And now…What happened?"

"Probably all the cookies North's been feeding him."

Jack jumped as Bunny entered his warren, looking less than pleased to find Jack and Tooth there.

"Bunny!" Jack said, moving to keep the objects he was holding from the Pooka's view. "What a surprise. Good to see you. Tooth, let's go."

"Wait just a second," Bunny called, but Jack was already pulling Tooth away and Tooth, more worried about Jack's cavity than Bunny's warren and whatever prank Jack had set up, followed most willingly.

"So," Jack said, settling down in a strange, rather uncomfortable chair that Tooth told him he had to sit in. "What's a cavity?"

"Rot in your teeth," Tooth said. "I have to drill it out."

"Drill it out?" Jack asked, feeling alarmed. "With what?"

"With this." Tooth held up the dentistry tools she owned, the silver objects glittering in the light shining on Jack's face.

Jack took one look at the sharp, buzzing objects and leapt from the chair.

"No," he said, shaking his head at Tooth. "No way."

He fled out the windows, speeding as fast as he could go to hide in the South Pole. It would probably be wise to stay there for a while, what with Tooth gunning to drill his teeth and the revenge that Bunny would enact after that prank…Yes, the South Pole was definitely looking like a great vacation spot.


	4. Jack's Sister

**A/N: **Hello, all! I am so sorry for the long wait! Life kinda has gotten in the way, what with games and books and stuff like that and I just have been sucked into it all so much that I haven't gotten around to writing anything. Which is, of course, a horrible excuse for me to use, but it is also the truth. But I'm back, still mostly distracted but felt I couldn't leave you all for too long, so I had to do something! Anyways, again I apologize for the long wait. My other stories have suffered as well and I feel horrible about it and am trying to do better. No promises, but I am trying. Well, enough of my blathering. Onto the story! That is, after all, what you're here for.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Rise of the Guardians.

For **jrarulez**, who wanted a fic where Manny brings Jack's sister back. Don't know if this is exactly what you had in mind, but this is what came of it!

I would say this is more on the side of hurt/comfort and family, rated like, K cause it's just fluffy :)

Characters: North, Bunny, Tooth, Sandy, Man in Moon (mentioned), Jack, Jack's sister (no, I did not name her. She was not officially named in the movie and I don't feel the need to name her here, so she is just Jack's sister.)

~RiseOfTheGuardians~

"I'm worried about Jack."

The statement came as no surprise to the three others in the room as it was the subject of which they were currently meeting about.

"We're all worried, Tooth, it's why we're here," Bunny said, pacing across the room and plopping down into an armchair by North's roaring fire.

Sandy nodded his agreement from where he floated as North merely grunted, gazing into the flames, deep in thought.

"Yes, but do you know _what_ is bothering Jack?" Tooth asked.

"How should I know what's in his head?" Bunny asked.

And therein lay their problem. It had been several years since Jack had officially become a Guardian, and he did a wonderful job. He now had many children who believed in him and he had gained a sense of responsibility. That wasn't to say he wasn't up to his pranking ways though. Jack was, after all, still a kid himself, a kid that would never grow up. He still annoyed Bunny, still played with Sandy, still allowed Tooth to mother hen him, and North still scolded him when he felt it was necessary. Which was at least once a week. At least.

But lately Jack had been acting, well, down. Sure, he still smiled, laughed, and pranked, but it seemed more subdued. _He_ seemed more subdued, often falling silent when no one was watching, spending days and even weeks alone, only to show up and cling to them before becoming irritated and disappearing once more.

Something was definitely bothering Jack.

And Jack, unfortunately, was unwilling to talk about it.

"Do you think it has something to do with Jamie?" Tooth asked softly.

All the Guardians sighed at that, as it very well might. Jamie, who had been Jack's first real believer, who had become friends with Jack, brothers almost, was growing up. Jamie, who had always clung to his belief in the Guardians, had forgotten. And the Guardians knew how hard it was to lose a first believer to the perils of aging and adulthood. But Jack seemed to have taken it fairly well, after the initial snowstorm that left the whole northern hemisphere under a thick layer of frost and snow. Jack seemed to have returned to his old self after that, and it had been over a year at this point. Surely Jamie's unbelief wasn't behind Jack's strange attitude. But if not that, than what?

"I think," North said, pulling his gaze from the flickering flames. "That this is a problem for Man in Moon. Hopefully he can give insight."

~RotG~

Jack perched on his staff overlooking his lake, lost in thought. How many years had it been since he had fallen through the ice? How many since he remembered that that was what had happened? That he wasn't like the others, that he hadn't chosen this life but had had it thrust upon him. How many years since his sister had watched him fall and been helpless to act?

Jack breathed out a sigh, sending his power down his staff and through the ground to the frozen lake, ensuring that it was completely solid. He never wanted someone to go through what he had, but more importantly, he never wanted someone to go through what his family had, what his sister had.

It wasn't until after Jamie had stopped seeing Jack, had started walking through him that it occurred to Jack. It wasn't until he felt that deep ache of loss, that slight sense of betrayal that he truly realized that while he had saved his sister, he had also hurt her, in a way that might possibly have been worse than death.

And it made him wonder, what had his sister done, once he had fallen through the ice? How had she felt? The thought that she might have blamed herself for his death haunted him, worried him, tormented him. He wanted to tell her it wasn't her fault. Wanted to know what she had done with her life. Wanted to be there, to comfort her.

He hadn't even remembered who she was!

He could have walked right up to her after waking up. She could've been one of the young girls who ran straight through him.

Jack growled, leaping from his staff to pace the ground, restless. He wanted to know what had happened to her. Wanted to know if she had been all right, after his death. Because he knew he _wouldn't _have been had it been her that had fallen through the ice. But, he didn't want his sister to have been miserable, as he would have. He wanted her to have been happy, to have continued playing, continued laughing. He wanted her to have grown up, fallen in love, married. He wanted her to have lived a good life.

But he didn't _know_ if she had. He didn't even know if she had made it off the ice or if she had fallen in after him.

He tried to tell himself that she had lived a long life, been happy, grown up, done all the things he wished for her, but he couldn't stop thinking about it. The ache from losing Jamie and his friends, his first believers, made him wonder if his sister had suffered from a similar pain. A pain that didn't seem like it would ever go away.

Jack sighed, plopping down in a snow bank, feeling exhausted, drained, but unable to rest as his thoughts circled, each one getting progressively darker. He wondered if he should go visit North, or Bunny. That was his usual solution when his thoughts got too dark. But nowadays they always wanted to know what was wrong and he couldn't explain it to them. How could they understand, really? They had chosen their life, they hadn't died and been brought back to life. They hadn't left someone behind and forgotten who they were.

"Jack? Ja-ack?"

_This is it,_ Jack thought, covering his ears against the voice. That hauntingly familiar voice that had no right to be here, in this world. That he had no right to hear. _I'm going crazy._

"Jack! There you are. Jack?"

"You're not real."

"Of course I am, silly."

"No, you can't be."

"Why don't you just open your eyes and see."

Slowly, hesitatingly, Jack peeked an eye open, hands moving from his ears. He caught sight of brown eyes and brown hair on a slightly freckled face.

"Jamie?" Jack asked.

"Really Jack?" the girl asked, stepping back with her hands on her hips and a pout on her lips. "And here I was thinking you remembered me."

"It's really you?" Jack asked, taking in her long brown hair and large brown eyes more clearly. "But, this is impossible."

"Well, I guess you're just good at the impossible, then."

"But-"

"Listen!"

Jack snapped his mouth shut. She only used that tone when she had something important to say.

"Manny was worried about you, okay? So he let me come here to talk with you."

"You mean, the moon…"

"Yes, Jack," her tone was impatient, just as it always was when she was annoyed with him.

"But how?"

"Well, I don't completely understand it myself. All I know is that I'm here now."

"For how long?"

She gave a crooked little smile. "You know I can't stay forever."

"Why not?"

"Because, Jack, I'm needed elsewhere."

"But it's really you?" Jack didn't want to believe it, because if it turned out to not be true…well, he didn't think he could handle it.

"Yes."

And with that simple word Jack lunged towards his sister, pulling her into a hug. She looked just like he remembered, just how she had when they had gone ice-skating that fateful day. And she hugged him back just as tightly as she always did.

When he loosened his grip she pulled back, smiling at him as she stared into his eyes, blue to brown.

"You haven't changed one bit, you know that?" she said.

"Really?" Jack asked, scratching the back of his head.

She laughed. "Really. Now," at this she propped her hands on her hips, just as she always did when demanding something from him. "Tell me why I'm here. What's bothering you so, Jack?"

"I just," Jack said, settling down in the snow once more, no longer able to meet her eyes. He stiffened when she sighed, but relaxed a little as she settled down next to him. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what, Jack?"

"For everything," it came out a soft whisper. "For leaving you on the ice. For not being strong enough. For not being there to look out for you. For-"

The finger on his lips stopped the flood of words and he looked up into the eyes of his sister. He blinked the blurriness from his eyes and noticed tears in her own.

"I'm not going to lie and say it was easy," she said softly, settling down once more. "Because it wasn't. I was horrified when you went through the ice. I didn't know what to do. But Jack, you saved my life, at the cost of your own. You have nothing to apologize for."

"But, I mean, did you…" Jack couldn't get the words out, was afraid of the answer.

Luckily his sister seemed to be able to tell what he was getting at. "I was fine Jack. Father found me not long after and took me home." She looked sad. "It was hard on all of us. You were our light, our laughter, and having you gone made the house feel so empty. But we also knew you wouldn't want it that way. We knew you'd want us to be happy. So little by little we started to build our lives again. But we never forgot you. You were a hero. You are a hero."

"So, you were okay? You had the chance to grow up?" Jack asked. His throat felt thick and he tried swallowing but it didn't help.

She smiled. "Yes," she said. "I grew up. I even got married, if you can believe that! Had five kids, too."

"You did?" Jack asked. He hadn't thought about that aspect of his sister's life, but of course she would've had kids. It's what people did.

His sister laughed at the look on his face. "Of course I did, silly."

"And you were happy?" It was all he wanted for his sister, to know that she had been happy.

"Very," she said, nodding, looking out over the frozen lake. "I loved the man I married and the children I raised. I even taught them to ice skate. After all, this lake was always frozen solid after that night. I don't think it ever thawed, even in the summer." She looked at him, mischief dancing in her eyes.

"Yeah," Jack chuckled, scratching the back of his head.

"What are you thinking, Jack?" she asked after they had sat in silence for several minutes.

"Just, you had kids," Jack said, shaking his head. "I can't believe it, it's just so, weird to think about."

She laughed. "Well, be grateful I did," she said. "And, I suppose I should be grateful to you as well."

"Hey, I'm your big brother, it was my job to protect you."

"Not about that, although I am grateful."

"Then what?"

"Well, you did save my great great great great great great grandson."

"Your grandson?" Jack asked.

"I believe you mistook me for him earlier," she answered wryly.

"You mean, Jamie?"

"Yes."

"Jamie is your grandson?"

"Yes. Which, I suppose, makes him your great times six nephew."

"Jamie Bennett is your grandson?"

"Well, I did marry Charles Bennett."

Jack sat back, stunned. And then he laughed. And laughed. And laughed. It was amazing. The one person to truly bring him back into this world was part of his own family. The person who had saved him was his sister's grandson.

His sister smiled at him. "I do hope you don't feel too horrible about him growing up," she said.

Jack turned back to her, eyes alight with the mischief and life that had been absent for some time.

"After all," she continued. "Everyone grows up one day. And he'll soon have children of his own."

"Do you think they'll believe in me?" It came out as a whisper, a hope.

"Yes, Jack, I do."

Jack nodded, so lost in thought he didn't notice his sister stand until she was pulling him to his feet.

"Now, I think you still owe me a day on the ice."

Laughing, Jack allowed her to pull him onto the lake before she glided away from him and he gave chase. It was dark by the time they circled back to the bank, the streams of golden sand the only light visible in the cloudy sky.

Jack smiled at his sister, who smiled back at him.

"I assume you have to go soon," he said softly as the clouds parted to reveal the light of the moon.

"I can't stay here forever."

"Do you think we'll ever see each other again?"

"I think, Jack, that that will be up to you."

Jack nodded before pulling his sister into a hug. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too, Jack," she said, stepping away from him and into the light of the moon.

Jack nodded, his throat clogging up as he watched the light engulf her. For a minute she stood there, not as the little girl he had known, but at the woman she had grown up to be – beautiful, kind, and caring.

"Take care of yourself, Jack. Your family here still needs you."

And with that she was gone and the clouds returned to cover the moon, plunging him in darkness once more.

Jack dashed the back of his hand under his eyes, wiping the tears away, and smiled as a cloud of golden dreamsand approached. Yes, he had lost his family that fateful day he had fallen through the ice, but he had also gained a new family, one that needed him as much as he needed them. And it was time to let go of the past.

He hadn't chosen this life; he hadn't been given that choice. He'd been snatched from his old one and placed in this new one being none the wiser of what had happened. But even though he hadn't chosen it, even though he had left those he loved behind, he realized one thing. He would never change what he had done, who he had become. Because his sister was proud of him, he had seen it in her eyes. And he was proud of who she was, who she had become.

Besides, he would have a new batch of Bennetts to look out for soon enough and he certainly couldn't let his sister down.


	5. Sandy's Childhood

**A/N: **Hi all! Sorry I sorta, kinda, really dropped off the face of the planet. I was abducted by aliens and forced to be productive with my life and live up to certain standards. And then my muse decided to betray me and run amok playing hide and seek and she is really good at hide and seek...like really good. And then I sat and stared at my computer thinking, I need to write, I need to write. And then Brandon Sanderson's new book came out. And then nothing else mattered after finishing that book and being completely put off by the fact that it'll probably be another FOUR years before the next one is released. And then...well...you get the picture. But I managed to finally sit down and hopefully I'll be updating my other stories here shortly (if anyone still cares...)

**Disclaimer: **As always, don't own 'em.

This one is for **Firenze Fox, **who is a wonderful reviewer :) and requested a story about Sandy because Sanderson ManSnoozie is awesome. Don't really know if this is what you were asking for, but I wrote and this is what came out. I tried to keep cannon with the book and movie as much as possible but well, I did take some liberties I suppose.

This has a little bit of angst, a sprinkling of hurt/comfort, and maybe a touch of fluff. I like the fluff. Rated T to be on the safe side (if child abuse upsets you please do not read.)

Characters: Tooth, North, Jack, Bunny, Sandy (of course), young Sandy, and Man in Moon might be mentioned.

~RiseOfTheGuardians~

"I want to thank you all for coming here." Tooth flitted in front of her fellow Guardians, a smile firmly planted on her face. She had finally talked North into letting them meet at her Palace, instead of at Santoff Claussen.

"You were very insistent, Tooth, what is this about?" North asked.

"And where is Sandy?" Jack asked, twisting around to glance behind him.

"Sandy is why we are here," Tooth said.

"Is something wrong with him?" Bunny demanded, suddenly on the alert.

"No, no," Tooth said, waving her hands in the air. "No. I was just thinking. The shortest night of the year is coming up and I thought, well, it might be fun to do something for Sandy. Since, you know, we don't know when his birthday is and all."

"A surprise celebration party," North chuckled. "I like idea!"

"Sounds like fun," Jack said. "But why don't you know when his birthday is?"

"He never told us," Bunny said.

"And you never asked?" Jack asked. "I mean, birthdays are pretty important, right?"

"Is not like Sandy is from this world," North informed Jack. "Birthdays might not matter where he is from."

"Not, not from this world?"

"And that surprises you?" Bunny asked. "Mate, I'm not from this world either."

"It's just, I guess, well, I thought I knew who Sandy was."

"You do, Jack," Tooth said, sharing a glance with North. They both knew Jack still had trust issues with them all and he didn't seem to be taking the knowledge that he knew so little about Sandy well.

"You just don't know who he _had_ been," North said.

"None of us do, really, mate, so don't feel left out."

"Oh," Jack said, perching precariously on his staff, a habit the group had learned he did when he was thinking things through. "Have you ever wondered, though?"

"We wonder about each of our pasts," Tooth said. "But we don't press for answers. Everyone talks about things in their own time."

Jack nodded. It made sense, now, why the others hadn't pressed for information on who he had been in his previous life. Not that he had known who he had been until just recently. It just seemed odd that the others didn't know everything about each other. They'd been working together long enough. And North had filled Jack in on all his glorious Cossack days before he chose to be a Guardians – one of the first Guardians, he boasted – as soon as Jack had gotten back on his feet after Pitch's attack. North had been the only one to talk to Jack about it so far, although he did hint that Tooth would share if Jack asked. But Jack had never really thought to ask, had never really found himself curious as to what made the others who they were today. He knew they all remembered their past lives. Knew they each chose to be who they were, chose their powers or worked for them. But he didn't know why, and now he found himself curious.

"Sandy!" Tooth said, smiled brightly as the dream maker floated into her palace, a curious expression on his face and question mark above his hair.

Jack jerked out of his thoughts at Sandy's approach, falling from his staff but catching himself in the air and landing gracefully on the ground.

"We were just, um, stopping by to say hi to Tooth," North explained.

Sandy glared, tapping his foot in the air, arms folded across his chest.

"Tooth was just telling me how she became a Guardian," Jack covered smoothly.

"I, I was? I was," Tooth said, nodding her head vigorously.

Jack winced – the others were horrible liars and it was clear Sandy thought so too. Bunny hid behind the others, trying not to look too guilty. They hadn't been doing anything wrong, after all.

"Well, she wasn't telling me, yet," Jack said. "We were just discussing such things as where we all came from, what worlds and some such…" Jack trailed off as he met Sandy's eyes.

Sandy nodded. He could tell they were leaving something out – like why he hadn't been invited to this meeting – but Jack was being truthful there (the kid wasn't as skilled at lying as he thought he was. At least, not when lying to Sandy.) Pointing to himself, he formed another question mark.

"Yeah," Jack confirmed. "I was curious. About you."

Sandy nodded, taking note of the other Guardians, their expressions guarded. He knew they, too, were curious about who he had been, why he had chosen to become the Sandman, and why he was the way he was.

He knew it was time to tell them. And telling them might help Jack to open up to them more about his own experiences – in his past life and in the three hundred years he was alone – because all they really knew was that he had died, not chosen, to become the winter spirit. Of course, choosing to share his past with them could change how they viewed him, what they thought of him.

Sandy hesitated. He didn't want that. He didn't want them to think any differently of him. He was happy with who he had become. If he hadn't had the past he had, he wouldn't be who he was today.

And he didn't think he could take it if they laughed at his initial reason for not talking. If they called him a wimp.

But glancing around them, he realized that they wouldn't. They weren't just merely friends. They were comrades. They were family. _His _family. They deserved to know, and if they thought any different of him, well...

Sandy shook his head. He couldn't think like that. He trusted them, all of them, and it was time to share his story. He had kept it buried for so long, allowing it to always fester in the back of his mind. It would be a relief to share it, no matter how it changed the others' perception of him.

Gathering his dreamsand, Sandy threw it in a cloud, surrounding his fellow Guardians. In the blink of an eye they were no longer standing in Tooth Palace, but amongst the stars, overlooking Earth.

_Before coming to Earth I lived among the stars. _The words floated about the Guardians before dissolving into stardust. _As member of the League of Star Captains. It was my job to travel with shooting stars and grant wishes to the worlds. _

_But, before even that, I lived on a small planet with my family._

The scene around them zoomed away from Earth, past millions of stars, before they group now hovered over a different planet. Slowly the group sank towards this new planet, until they stood on a quiet street, looking towards a strange house where a young boy dangled out the window to look at the stars. The group was startled to note that this was Sandy, before he became a Guardian. This was Sandy as a young boy.

_"Sanderson! Stop hanging out the window and get in here! You have work to do!"_

The group was startled by the woman's voice, high pitched and angry.

_"Yes mom." _Young Sandy's head disappeared and the window was shut. The group stared in shock, none of them had ever heard Sandy speak before.

_Unfortunately,_ the words floated around their heads once more. _My childhood was not a happy one._

The scene around them swirled until they were standing inside the strange little house, watching young Sandy as he worked to clean up the kitchen.

_"You aren't done yet?"_

Jack flinched violently at the malevolence in that tone. He had heard it before, from others, and knew that nothing good came of it.

"Who is that?" Bunny whispered as a man, short and plump and grey skinned, walked into the kitchen.

"Shhh," Tooth hissed. For some reason, it didn't seem right to talk.

North frowned as the man grabbed young Sandy, pulling him away from the sink and throwing him to the floor.

_"Can't you do anything right?_" The man growled, towering over the cowering boy.

_"Not when he is too busy hanging out the window."_ The woman's voice, the one Sandy had called mother, spoke up as its owner walked into the kitchen. She, too, was short and plump, but had a dark brown skin tone instead of grey. Young Sandy's skin matched hers, topped by a wild bunch of white hair styled much the same as current Sandy's was.

_"Again?" _the man sneered. _"Hoping to catch a glimpse of a shooting star, eh? What a joke."_

Young Sandy whimpered and the group all took a step towards him, though there was nothing they could do.

The man walked a circle around the young boy curled up on the floor, a look of disgust on his face.

_"How many times do I have to tell you?_" he asked. Jack tensed at the same time young Sandy did, knowing what was coming next. _"There's"_ the man's foot lashed out, connecting with the boy's stomach._"No"_ another kick, this time in the shoulder. _"Such"_ to the stomach again, leaving young Sandy gasping._"Thing"_ kick _"as" _kick _"shooting"_ kick_ "stars."_

"How dare he?" Bunny growled, whole body tensed as he watched.

"That's awful," Tooth whispered, hands pressed to her mouth.

"Oh, Sandy," North whispered softly.

_"But," _young Sandy spoke up, voiced filled with pain, eyes brimming with tears. _"But, but, dad said they were real, he did!"_

_"LIES!" _the man roared, picking young Sandy off the ground and shaking him. _"I am your father now! Never speak of this again! You hear me? Never! In fact, just don't speak at all. No one wants to hear your whining."_ He tossed young Sandy to the ground, kicking him once more before walking out with Sandy's mother in tow, leaving young Sandy curled up and crying on the ground.

_You see, my father died when I was young,_ the golden words swirled around the room, bursting apart as they were read. _And when my mother remarried, she changed. My stepfather never loved me. He hated me, hated the reminder that my mother had loved another man. Hated the stories my father had told me, of shooting stars and magic and other worlds. Hated to see others happy. Hated the dreams and wishes of others._

_And so he attempted to put an end to my dreams and wishes and it didn't take long until I learned he was serious when he said he never wanted to hear me speak again._

The scene shifted again, showing flashes of young Sandy, scenes of abuse and horror and pain that had all of them in tears, filled with sorrow for what their friend had gone through. And then they found themselves outside the house once more, looking up at a young boy with a black eye as he leaned out the window to catch a glimpse of the sky.

_But just because I no longer spoke did not mean I had given up on my dreams. Every night after my parents had gone to bed I'd look, and wait, and watch._

_Until one night…_

The group watched as wonder and excitement lit young Sandy's eyes as he caught sight of a star shooting across the sky.

_That star, and its star captain, heard my silent wish and I was finally rescued. I left behind my family, my friends, and my life as I embraced a new one. I left behind who I was. I left behind my mortality. And I became a star captain myself so that I could grant the wishes of those like me, those that needed help._

The group watched as young Sandy accepted a certificate from a slender, golden man with a silly grin. They watched as his brown skin turned golden, watched as his hair also turned golden, as if caught in a flame. Here was the Sandy they knew and loved, still a child, but different, somehow.

They watched as Sandy caught his first shooting star, wrangled it and rode it around the worlds, listening to the wishes of children.

_And I did. At least, of course, until I crash landed on Earth, where I slept for a long time, dreaming until the day Man in Moon called upon me for help._

_And the rest, you know._

The scene around them swirled once more until everything was black.

Groaning, North blinked his eyes open. He was sprawled on the floor of Tooth Palace along with Tooth, Bunny, and Jack. Sandy sat beside them, watching over them as they woke up.

"Oh, Sandy," Tooth said, launching herself at her friend as soon as she had oriented herself and pulling him into a hug.

"Mate," Bunny said, at a loss to say anymore as he patted Sandy's shoulder awkwardly.

"I am sorry," North said. "But thank you, for sharing."

None of them knew how to take what they had learned. Sandy had just proved how strong he was, but he had also just proved that sometimes, those who smile the brightest have the darkest secrets.

Jack sat where he had woken and offered a solemn nod to Sandy in thanks and understanding. No more words were needed to be said between the two.

"I think," Tooth said, finally pulling away her strangle grip on Sandy. "That we definitely need to have that party now."

And Jack laughed, breaking the tension that lingered. Soon North and Bunny were laughing merrily as well. Sandy looked puzzled at the mention of a party but he grinned, pulling on a sand party hat. He felt better for having told them all about his childhood. He felt better for them understanding why he never talked, and for the fact they did not judge him for it. He felt better than he ever had before, and he realized it was thanks to them, to talking with them, to their understanding and acceptance of who he was, even if they never said those things out loud. After all, actions spoke louder than words.

And at long last, Sandy was finally able to put aside his painful childhood. He didn't need to bury it any more. It simply didn't matter now. He had his family now. His new family. The family he had chosen.

And all they wanted for him was for his dreams and wishes to come true.

**A/N: **Um, yeah. Not too good at writing abuse and I grew up in a happy, abuse free home, so I've never experienced it. My heart goes out to those who have, though.


End file.
